Gas detector



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GAS DETECTOR Filed Dec. 27, 1967 United States Patent 3,488,649 GASDETECTOR Samuel W. Lee, 828 Nostrand Ave., Uniondale, N.Y., 11553 FiledDec. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 693,912

Int. Cl. G081) 21/00 US. Cl. 340-237 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREIt is the principal object of this invention to provide a gas detectorof the character herein described that will automatically activate anydesired type of alarm when there is gas in the atmosphere.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gas detector of thecharacter herein described that can be used anywhere there iselectricity to operate the mechanism of the detector.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gas detector of thecharacter herein described that has a minimum number of parts enclosedin a container that can be placed where one may want to detect gas inthe at? mosphere.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a gas detector ofthe character herein described that can be provided with any desiredtype of alarm, such as a bell, buzzer, light and/or a combination of anytwo or more alarms that can be located in any desired place.

Other objects of this invention of a gas detector will no doubt come tomind as the reading of this specifica tion and its appended claimsproceeds and the appended drawings are examined.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of this invention of a gas detector with itscase broken open in part in order to show its internal mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a top sectional view of this invention of a gas detector,taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG- URE 3, and viewed in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an end sectional view of this invention of a gas detector,taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, and viewed in thedirection indicated by the arrows. 7

FIG. 4 is an end sectional view of this invention of a gas detector,similar to that of FIGURE 3, but showing an alternate form of itsmechanism, having the upper portion of its case removed for reasons ofclarity.

FIG 5. is a longitudinally disposed view of a modified form of thetubular balance arm that has been partly broken open to better show itsinternal construction.

In the several views of the accompanying drawings, like parts areindicated by like reference numbers.

The reference number 10 indicates this invention in its entirety, whilethe reference number 11 indicates a rectangular case having a fiatbottomi=12 on which is mounted the electric motor 13 that is connectedto the pump 14. The aforesaid electric motor is electrically connectedto the timer 15 which is mounted on one end wall 16 "ice of theaforesaid case 11. The just-mentioned timer 15 is connected by electricwires 17 to the side wall mounted power terminal 18. Electric wiresconnect the just-mentioned power terminal 18 to the electric alarm 19and the toggle switch 20 that is reset by the reset arm 20. Theaforesaid toggle switch 20 is activated by the lower and outer end 21 ofthe balance arm 22, which I personally call a fulcrum arm. The balancearm 22 has its inner end secured to the coupling 23 which is a hollowmember that also provides support for one end of the tubular balance arm24 which has its other and outer end terminating in the flexiblecontainer support 25. The flexible container being indicated by thereference number 26 in the accmpanying drawings. The aforesaid coupling23 that provides a swingable balance point for the two balance arms 22and 24 which are diametrically opposite one another, as one can readilysee by examination of FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings,is supported by the vertically disposed supporting structure 27 which ismounted on the previously-mentioned flat bottom 12 of the case 11. Apipe 28 connects the aforesaid coupling 23 with the aforesaid pump 14which is also connected by an atmosphere intake pipe 29 with the outsideof the aforesaid case 11, thereby providing the necessary passage of theatmosphere from the outside of this invention, through the pump 14, oninto the flexible container 26, as is obvious from examination of thefirst two figures of the accompanying drawings. Although it is not shownin any of the views of the accompanying drawings, both pipes 28 and 29must be provided with automatically operated check valves in order thatthe atmosphere will not be drawn in the opposite direction as the piston30 of the pump 14 reciprocates.

The only two parts of this invention shown in the form illustrated inFIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings that have not been mentioned arethe longitudinally adjustable balance weight 31 that is located on theaforesaid balance arm 22 and the atmosphere disposal pipe 32 thatprojects out from the bottom of the aforesaid flexible container support25 which will be provided with the necessary check valve. The checkvalve is connected to the aforesaid electric timer by an electric wiresince the check valve is electrically controlled by the timer. Thejust-mentioned electric wire is not shown in any of the views of thedrawings for reasons of clarity.

Before going into some of the optional forms of construction of certaindetails of construction of this novel invention, the preferred form ofthis invention, illustrated in the first three figures of theaccompanying drawings, works as follows:

This invention 10 has its power terminal 18 connected to any desiredsource of electricity, the electric motor 13 is then started by means ofthe timer 15. The running of the aforesaid electric motor 13 willactivate the pump 14, which can be of any suitable and desired type,although the reciprocating pump type is shown in the accompanyingdrawings. The activated pump 14 will draw in atmosphere from the outsideof the case 11 through the intake pipe 29 and pump the atmospherethrough the pipe 28, through the hollow member 23, on into the tubularbalance arm 24, through the flexible container support 25, and on intothe flexible container 26. If the atmosphere is lighter than air, theinflated container 26 will raise the outer end of the tubular balancearm 24, thereby dcpressing the outer end of the aforesaid balance arm 22which will now press downward on the toggle switch 20 and will therebyset off the electric alarm 19 which will now warn people of the presenceof a lighter than air gas in the atmosphere,

Since the weight of gases vary, this invention is provided with anadjustment in order that the gas detector can be used in any kind ofatmosphere, regardless of the Weight of the gas contained therein. Thisadjustment is in the form of a balance weight 31 which is screwedlongitudinally along the aforesaid balance arm 22 which is a threadedrod, as one can readily see on examination of FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 of theaccompanying drawings. At the end of a predetermined cycle of operationof this gas detector 10, the atmosphere in the flexible container 26 isreleased automatically from the container through the aforesaidatmosphere disposal pipe 32.

Two optional forms of construction of the balance arms are shown inFIGURES 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. FIGURE 4 illustrates thereplacement of the threaded balance arm 22 with the rod 33, also theaddition of a spiral balance spring 34 on the aforesaid hollow member23. The invention is also provided with a vertically adjustable stop 35that is located under the longitudinal center of the tubular balance arm24. FIGURE 5 illustrates the tubular balance arm 36. This type ofbalance arm, which is filled with either a liquid or grits in theV-shaped depressed portion 37, can be used with either the generalconstruction shown in the first three figures of the accompanyingdrawings or with the optional form of construction shown in FIGURE 4 tomake the device more sensitive.

What I now claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent is:

1. A gas detector of the character described, comprising a case, anelectrically activated pump connected to draw air from outside the case,a flexible container, a

balance arm which is a hollow tube that has one end terminating in ahollow member that is movably supported by a vertically disposedsupporting structure which is secured to the bottom of said case, thesaid hollow member being connected to the said pump by a pipe, theflexible container connected to the other end of said balance arm, asecond balance arm that is diametrically opposite to the first mentionedbalance arm and having one end secured to said hollow member, anelectric switch connected to an electric alarm, the switch positioned tobe activated by the other end of the second mentioned balance arm, andmeans of disposing of the atmosphere in said flexible container at apredetermined interval of operation of the said gas detector.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the second mentioned balance arm isa threaded rod on which is adjustably screwed a balance weight that hasthe configuration of a disk.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,308,626 7/ 1919 Crowell 7330 XR2,673,339 3/1954 Gray et a1. 340--237 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,464 1884 GreatBritain. 7,846 1891 Great Britain.

JOHN W. CALDWELL, Primary Examiner D. MYER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl.X.R. 73-30

